Better. But it is wrong to right Africa off as a place that was irrevocably ruined hundreds of years ago. There are a series of reasons why much of it is as bad as it is now, and most of it is perfectly correctable given the will.

Tim Butcher's book, Blood River, about the Congo, and Martin Meredith, The State of Africa are both very interesting in different ways.

I heard on early radio 4 program of an African nation plagued by Malaria. I listened as its sort of personal as a relative of mine masterminded and acheived the removal of malaia from Mauritius. The next part is , to my mind , dispicable. To a greater extent after hearing this , and all the other 361 scammers I decided they are all beyond help.
An expanding Chinese company that made mosquito nets wanted to build a factory in Africa to produce nets impregnated with a long term anti mosquito repellant that lasted 10 years , twice as long as the current ones do. Brilliant. The whole country could have these nets for pence, if they let the Chinese build a factory to then export to the rest of the continent.
The sad and utterly dispicable part is that the nations President had appointed his own son as a token " Minister for international trade and developement", probably on a huge salary paid for by the western world. Now, this idiot decides that the Chinese can build the factory, which will help his nations health , productivity, employment, stature and GDP . But the mofo wants a nice big brown envelope with $400,000 cash in it.
The Chinese, funnilly enough being sort of semi communists, told the "Minister for International Trade and Developement" to go whistle, so no factory , no new better nets , no healthy popluation , and Bono bleating on about helping the Africans, then getting in his Maybach to get on his jet home.
This was about 18 months ago and still gets me angry
Just hopeless when thats what your up against

Shows how much it bothered me .. can't stand watching Comic Relief! Would rather we pumped 50 million quid into sorting out the UK, gun/knife crime, gangs etc. Our youth need support to stop their criminal ways . .that's why they've ended up the way they are!

But some of the Comic Relief money does go to the UK (though admittedly i have no idea what proportion). There was a horrendously sad bit of film about a young carer, it made me donate.

Alot of old people in the coming years sat in very cold homes here in the UK. Fuel allowance isn't going to cover the big increases.

That is sad.

Sorry, can't comment on anyone else's plight. How can we throw aid at people when the infrastructure of the country ignores its own people. The only way that we can really help is colonolism once more.
Until then, sorry our own elders are far more important to me.

Here's where the money goes. One of the reasons I like RND is that money is spent here as well as abroad.
I get narked when Madonna (for example) says give money to Malawi and then doesn't seem to put her hand in her own purse. You're worth £300million woman you could afford 10% and not suffer! Same goes for Bonio and all the other rich types.
Bear Uk conforming to a nasty Northern Stereotypical attitude being fostered by the BNP et al. Troll back under your bridge.